theloniusfleabag

Dear Argus, They aren't doing it now because they don't feel they need to. They did resort to terrorism previously, against the British, though. I do agree with most of your assessment of Turkey, but keep in mind that they were the power center of the world for centuries, until the British Empire took over.As to sharkman's comment... That is the New Testament, more highly regarded by Islam than the Jewish faith, though both call Christians 'idol-worshippers'.

Dear BHS, I don't think the implication was that suspects were being tortured in Canada, merely that we are being used as a way-station for 'illegal actions'. Don't forget, the CIA has/had 'proprietaries' (or 'front businesses) that operate in Canada (such as Arrow Air..recall the Gander crash some years ago, where a CIA plane crashed and the US had the crash site bulldozed to hide any evidence of a bombing, while eyewitness reports reported a mid-air explosion)

Dear Argus, This could easily be applied to the Native North American. The only reason that this hasn't happened is that they ('First Nation's Peoples') lack the overwhelming force to make it happen.

Dear BHS, Here is the Independent link, http://news.independent.co.uk/world/asia/article331219.ece

Dear BHS, Don't have the Idependent link, but here is one from The Jerusalem Post.http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid...icle%2FShowFull

Dear Argus (and sharkman) I think Israel will act pre-emptively, and worry about the 'fallout' later. Some suff about Israel's capabilities...http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/israel/iran.htm Black Dog is only partly right with After the 9/11 attacks, there was some speculation as to whether or not the only the pilot was aware of the type of mission (although the others were most likely 'suicide mission volunteers'). Suppose Iran has (or will have) a suicidal but patient pilot at the wheel? It doesn't matter what the passengers think, unless they think to rebel in time and take back control of the vehicle.If Israel dos stike first, us lefties will condemn Israel for breaking international law, point out some of their own hypocrisies, the US will get blamed for abetting Israel in the venture, true or not, and things will be back to normal in no time.

Dear err, Why? How does giving the 'low-income classes' 1% off a sony playstation (or other 'non-essential' goods and services) help them more than a bigger paycheque?

Dear Black Dog, Thanks for correcting me here. What I should have said (or at least implied better)was 'that it would be easy to make the accusation of prosetylizing' against activists who happen to be Christian. Moderateamericain claims: but this is false.

Dear Argus, So does the Jewish faith, with both of those religions deriding Christians as 'idol-worshippers'. Some US states still have sodomy laws on the books, but the death penalty isn't applicable...like Saudi Arabia. In China,(not sure how they still view it)it is not admitted to exist, and criminal charges would fall under 'offensive behaviour'.It has been a while since I read the Koran, but I do believe that there was a passage forbidding sex with animals that you intend to eat.

Dear shoop, Not exactly, when regarding the GST. Again, it is applied to 'luxury spending', so for low-income earners, saving 1% on a new Escalade isn't going to enable them to buy one. Cutting their income tax would help them purchase more of the essentials, while the GST cuts merely takes a very small amount off of 'non-essentials'.

Dear eureka, This is what Harper proposes, but I don't know that it can be done. A 'blended system' would theoretically make shorter waiting times for both 'tiers'.

Dear sharkman, Sometimes. It doesn't matter a whole lot, though, for how many election promises actually get kept by anyone anyway?

Dear Black Dog, As quoted from the Jewish Virtual Library, http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/myths/mf1.html Interestingly, a detailed account of Operation Moses, of the airlift of the Falashas, who were deemed to be 'undoubtedly of the tribe of Dan' can be found in the book "By Way of Deception", by Victor Ostrovsky.

Dear sharkman. The fact is, Canada has somewhat of a two-tier system already. The political elite, pro athletes, etc have their own teams of doctors, and anyone who can afford it can go anywhere in the world for most every kind of treatment one so chooses. It seems Harper, (and everyone else) has been busy scooping up all the leftover 'pro or con' positions on whatever policy matters get dredged up (not that healthcare is a minor matter).

Dear shoop, Not entirely ridiculous, just a poor application. It is the 'carrot and stick' method, one that is tried and true, but the GST manipulation is not the way to go about it. With Harper announcing cuts to the GST, I believe he is only doing it because the Liberals already announced income tax cuts, a much wiser solution but one Harper can't be seen on as saying 'Me too!". If the intention is to give lower-middle class earners a break for essentials, it should be done through income tax breaks. The GST is applied to 'luxury spending' (although I still can't figure out why toilet paper is taxed and not a dozen donuts at Safeway), and giving 'the poor' 1% off a Sony Playstation is not a great help on the monthly heating bill, nor would it encourage the economy as much as would more money in the hands of the spender.

Dear scriblett, Sadly, I think they are suffering for their own stupidity. Prosetylizing is punishable by death in some Muslim countries, and is therefore inherently dangerous, especially in one that is currently under strife and where the invaders have been accused of being 'crusaders'.

Dear cybercoma, They are not 'inaccuracies', the fact remains that both arguments are true. I believe that the only way to address both the relative harmlessness of pot (and thereby the silliness of classifying it as 'worse' than the already legal alcohol, or lumping it in the same category as heroin or crack) and the criminality of grow-ops is to legalize it.

Dear Argus, Black Dog raises a very good point. Indeed, many Palestinians work in Israel, but they are not allowed to live there by virtue of 'discriminatory apartheid'. Can you imagine, say, the US allowing cheap Mexican labour for some factories in the southern US but they all have to 'go home' every night? Any other country, for that matter, cannot clear out all of the 'help' every night.Further, Israel's claim is based solely on the Bible, and has held it as both actually and legally true. This is why many (including myself) claim to be 'anti-zionist' without being anti-Jewish.

Dear Argus, Income tax-yes, should be cut or abolished. GST-increased to 10% Why? Many corporations are moving to 'part time positioning' because it costs them less in benefits, etc. and actually employs more people. A buddy of mine drives for a large courier company, and though his shift spans 10-14 hrs, they give him a 3 hr lunch break and call the position 'part time'. Mcjobs are an intergal part of the economy. Only unionizing diehards think that one should get full time wages and benefits for pubescent teens with humongous pimples and a snotty nose hovering over and/or fondling your McSandwich.

Dear August1991, I believe the current vernacular is 'moderate regime'. They can be as brutal as they like at home, as long as they serve US interests. Saudi Arabia and China, for example, are countries with no interest in democracy or human rights, but are profitable to the US. Mexico may adopt any 'values' it likes, that is not the issue. Nationalizing industry or resources, or otherwise jeopardizing US investment would be the real killer. Need some examples? The United Fruit Corp and the Dulles brothers, or how about the Panama Canal Treaty. Both fomented massive US military intervention (and likely the assassinations of foriegn leaders) to ensure that the US maintained it's positions.

Dear Kiraly, Any 'prosecution' done, federally, involves the RCMP to investigate, and if needed arrest the lawbreaker and bring them to trial. This proposal seems to take the 'wrongdoer' out of the hands of the RCMP on the way to court. I would actually say that it undermines the Attorney General more than the RCMP, but, it's a 'white elephant' anyway. While this would be a nuisance for the AG, the 'Director of Public Prosecutions' cannot replace the law, the Crown or the courts lest we have a police state.

I asked a customer about the election yesterday, joking about him voting NDP, since I know he is very 'right wing'. In fact, about 3 days a go he told me he attended a conference put on by the Fraser Institute, and he said that I would be appalled if I found out how much money 'goes East' ....( I bit my tongue regarding my thoughts on the impartiality as to how those numbers must have been presented). That being said, he told me that this election 'we're screwed'. He said, "The Liberals are a bunch of crooks, but Harper is a madman. He is way, way too right-wing". I asked him if he thought that Klein made the comments that he did with this sort of thinking in mind. He replied "Absolutely, Klein is on his way out, so he has nothing to lose [by saying such things]". Wacky. Last time round, I voted Green. I would vote Conservative this time, but...

Dear cybercoma, You are right, it can't be argued. from... http://www.epa.gov/methane/sources.html Of the human related production, livestock and the manure from it accounts for some 25% of total methane production. We humans 'waste' more than nature itself produces. A lot more. As to the 'farting' bit, the EPA calls it "Exhaling the byproduct of Enteric Fermentation". I like the term 'exhaling' too, though my wife and I usually use 'windy-pants'. No worries, though, cows suffer from a tragic affliction that takes a terrible toll on their numbers every year. Their own deliciousness.

Dear eureka, Well done, a jolly good wheeze. Makes me want to start a thread on 'The Responsibilites of Man'.

Dear BHS, The problem is, well...consumerism. So how could consumerism be used to defeat itself? To save time I will use the word 'pollution' to describe that which mankind creates which is harmful to the environment, and to the life on the planet (including humans) that depend on it. (I realize that CO2 itself is not 'harmful' in certain amounts, but that an excess of it is). The profit motive dictates that goods for consumption need to be made as cheaply as possible and sold for the highest cost possible. To make things as cheaply as possible, and to sell them en masse (also cheaply to entice the consumer) the best way would be to have no environmental laws whatsoever. Dumping chemicals directly into streams, rivers, watersheds, etc would enhance profit by lowering costs. China is a wonderful example of this, India isn't far behind. The only thing to stop this behaviour cannot be found in the consumer, it is unfortunately 'legal regulation'. The 'redistribution of wealth' hokum isn't entirely true, mostly a scare tactic. Large corporations already pick and choose and outsource to the most favourable countries (based on said profit motive) and keep their head offices and distribution centres in the 'West' anyway.